Reflection for Monday, 13th Week of Ordinary Time

By

 

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest, Bidar

Today's WORD of GOD 

Matthew 8:18 - 22 

When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 

 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 

 Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 

 But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” 

 Today's Reflection 

“For 3 Transgressions of Israel, & for 4, I will Not Revoke the Punishment; because They Sell the Righteous for Silver, & the Needy for a Pair of Sandals.” (Amos 2: 6)

Our 1st Reading Today Comes from the Prophet Amos who may Rightly be Called the Prophet of Social Justice. 

Amos Speaks Straight to the Conscience of the People Reminding Them of the Weight of Their Sins; Their Immorality, Their Lack of Charity for the Afflicted & Their Idolatry.

In a Capitalist Society like Ours, It is so Easy for Us to Fall into the Temptation of Turning Money into a God. 

When that Happens, People are No Longer Treated like Humana but as Things that could be Bought, Sold & Exchanged for Money & Other Favours.

Coming Down to Our Gospel Passage, We Discover that JESUS is Not Ashamed 2b Associated with a State Poverty. 

To the Scribe who Opted to Follow HIM, JESUS Said: “Foxes Have Holes, Birds Have Nests but the Son of Man has Nowhere to Lay His Head.” 

It was Necessary for JESUS to Explain to the Scribe the Level of Difficulty Involved in Ministry & the Absolute Necessity of Detachment from the Things of This World.

It is an Irony that many Today are Attracted to the Ministry for very Wrong Reasons. 

Many See GOD'S Work as a Life of Luxury, a Career just like Any Other & an Opportunity for Material Prosperity. 

It is even a Greater Irony that a Life of Poverty Quickly Becomes a Life of Endless Pursuit of Riches whereby even the Minister is just as Guilty as Those Amos Condemned in Our 1st Reading Today.

Following JESUS or Becoming a Minister is Not & can Never Be a Career. It is Basically a Life of Sacrifice. 

To the Disciple JESUS Called, JESUS Told Him to Leave the Dead to Bury Their Own Dead. 

This Simply Means One Cannot Combine the Work of Ministry with the Task of Meeting Up with Family Responsibilities. 

Unless This is Properly Understood, there is a Real Danger of Turning GOD'S Work into a Money-Making Enterprise which has, Unfortunately, Become the Order of the Day.

Good morning

God bless you with good health and keep you safe

Have a wonderful day and a great week ahead.